Trader Joes

I'm actually a little surprised that I've never professed my love for Trader Joes to you guys.

But honestly.  I freaking Love Trader Joes.  

I'm an early morning girl, I get up early, I leave for work early and I love to do my shopping in the morning because it's al little less "people-y" out there, the stores are clean and the employees are generally still in a good mood. (Once upon a time, in my teens I worked in retail and I've worked in some aspect of customer service since my twenties).

Anyway...

Trader Joes opens at 8am, which works great for me since I'm not technically supposed to be at work until 9, even though I don't think I've ever been there "that late".  Lately I find myself driving over to TJ's in the morning to grab something for lunch when there were no leftovers from the night before because I know that I can grab a really filling, not crap filled, moderately healthy lunch for less than $5 and nothing near my office is even remotely that inexpensive (Im' looking at you sandwich shop with the  $17 sandwich and the $7 fries (Oh, they're freaking amazing alright, but that's definitely a once in a while splurge).

Their Cold Brew is really damn good too and I am such a total coffee snob.  We have this bit fancy schmancy coffee maker in my office, but.. eh, the coffee isn't spectacular and whenever I find myself grabbing a cup of it, I never finish it.  I like my coffee strong and rich and TJ's cold brew hits that mark and you get 3 servings per bottle (which is more like 2 for me and my giant mug) for $5.49 and while I love my Starbucks, it's definitely not something I'm doing everyday because if I'm getting Starbucks it's gonna be 30 ounces of that lovely bean juice.  There are days I'll just go and grab a black iced coffee and get 2 coffees out of it when I just add my own milk at the office... because leftover coffee doesn't bother me.

Oh.. and the blueberry waffles, Oh, they're good.... they're really good and like $2.49/ box.  I paid $4.99 for Kodiak protein waffles at target last week.. NGL, they were really good, but that's kind of a lot for a box of 10 waffles.  I will typically get the big box of Kodiak flapjack & waffle mix at BJ's but the last few times I've gone they've been sold out.  Last April I started upping my protein and cutting down on carbs and lost 20#. TJ's also has little microwable protein muffin cups (just like the Kodiak ones) for $1.99.

TJ's might not be my "everything" grocery store, but around the holidays you bet your ass I'm gonna find some great extras for the table.  Last year I got the strawberry and I think mango "secco" wine.  I don't drink, but everyone said it was great, it definitely didn't last to the end of the day. Whenever I'm scrolling on TikTok I always stop at the "what's new this week at Trader Joes" ones, take notes, save it or whatever and hope i find it at one of the local TJ's.

I had always thought Trader Joes was expensive, it's not, it's honestly one of the best priced stores around, filled with stuff you'd never think to try.  My spice cabinet is FULL of Trader Joes spices and I keep a few stashed at work too.

Hello Keurig... my review of the Keurig 2.0

As an Influenster I sometimes get little perks and this has been by far the best perk yet! I love a good cup of coffee and although I still have my trusty old BHG Grind & Brew at home I'm the only coffee drinker here and making a whole pot of coffee is often wasteful.  I don't mind brewing a whole pot if I know I'm going to use it and over the summer it wasn't bad drinking coffee straight from the fridge, but it gets old fast.  Having the option now to brew just one cup or 3-4 in the carafe is very nice :)

 After taking a little coffee survey I was lucky enough to get chosen to try out the new Keurig 2.0.  After reading the reviews online and seeing the models here I was thinking we were going to get one of the basic models.  I was sure in for a surprise when the box arrived!

What I got was a Keurig 2.0 Model K550 Which is the top of the line model in the 2.0 series.  Lemme tell y'all I am NOT disappointed!  My BF has an older model Keurig and it's so noisy when you start it up and I was really kinda worried that this was going to be as well, BUT it's whisper quiet.

Say Hello to the Keurig® 2.0 K550 Brewing System — the first Keurig system that features revolutionary Keurig 2.0 Brewing Technology™ which is designed to read the lid of each K-Cup™ or K-Carafe™ pack to brew the perfect beverage every time. The K550 brewer allows you to brew a 4-cup carafe with the same ease and convenience of brewing a single-serve cup — all at the touch of a button. It’s so smart, and so simple!

The brewer has other great features including an extra large 80 ounce water reservoir, 2.8 inch color touch display, programmable clock, an auto brew option and a strength control setting for brewing bolder coffee. There’s even a separate setting for hot cocoa and other specialty beverages like lattes and mochas. The K550 model also has a customizable night light in the water reservoir and offers hot water on demand. So many options to choose from — not at all like a typical coffee maker.

Choose from over 250 varieties of coffee, tea and specialty beverages — including iced beverages — from 40 brands you know and love. Just look for Keurig Brewed® seal on your favorite K-Cup pack and K-Carafe pack varieties.

The Keurig 2.0 K550 Brewing System includes a Keurig™ Carafe, a 2.0 Water Filter Starter Kit with one filter, and K-Cup® and K-Carafe™ packs to get you started.

Variety pack includes:

4 K-Carafe™ packs:

• Green Mountain Coffee® Breakfast Blend
• Green Mountain Coffee® French Roast
• Green Mountain Coffee® French Vanilla
• The Original Donut Shop® Regular

6 K-Cup® packs:

• The Original Donut Shop® Regular Extra Bold
• Green Mountain Coffee® Hazelnut
• Green Mountain Coffee® Nantucket Blend®
• Barista Prima Coffeehouse® Italian Roast
• Starbucks® Pike Place® Roast
• Celestial Seasonings® English Breakfast Tea

You can see the difference in size between a standard K-cup and the K-carafe cup here.

 In my box I also received a full box of Decaf Breakfast Blend which I was a little befuddled with at first because I don't drink decaf but I will totally use it in chocolate cake and brownies :)  Since I got my box well after coffee drinking time for me (which I usually cut off to no later than 2 PM otherwise I know I won't sleep) the first one I brewed was the decaf to see how it worked, poured myself a small cup and then poured the remaining coffee into the ice cube trays and toss the cubed into my already strong iced coffee and it's awesome.

I love how quiet the Keurig is

Alright so it may not be the greatest sound in the world, but man do I love my coffee mug from Our Name is Mud.  I got this mug almost ten years ago and it's chipped and I broke the handle once, but it's really held up great and I can't seem to find another one just like it.

All in all, I love this machine, it's quiet, I can brew my coffee while I'm getting ready to haul ass out the door at 7am (I did mention in my last post my child is going to college and it's a two hour train ride each way didn't I?).  Pods can get a little expensive and for now this isn't compatible with any of the reusable cups but if you go to the Keurig site and sign up for special offers and Amazon always seems to have a good deal.  Otherwise every grocery store has them, for the new brewers make sure they have the Keurig logo on them, or they won't work with this machine.  For me it isn't an issue since this is my first Keurig.  I love all the varieties and that The Kid can use it also for tea and iced tea and cocoa when the weather gets cold.

So grab a mug and Enjoy your coffee with the new Keurig 2.0.  I definitely am :)

International Delight Iced Coffee

Running through the grocery store the other day, I decided to give this stuff a try since I had a coupon in my purse... figuring the $2 off coupon would make it practically free.  HA!! at $4.59 a carton it took a chunk off, but was it worth it?

No, not really.  it was Okay.  I don't see myself buying it again.

I grabbed a carton of original and after getting home and pouring myself a cup I sat down to look at the nutritional information:

Not too many ingredients, but then again.. nothing that makes is special and at 150 cal for 1 cup not really worth that in my book.  Who drinks just 8oz of coffee anyway?  Surely not me with my gigantic 20 oz coffee mug and 24oz cold cup I carry around with me.

This stuff tastes similar to 7-Eleven iced coffee (which is made from a mix full of odd ingredients) it's got a smooth creamy texture. The flavor was alright but I found it lacking a good coffee flavor and wound up adding a little bit of creamer to it anyway.

I'm better off brewing my own stuff.... or better yet checking out some of the cold  brew techniques for iced coffee and doing it myself (more on that soon).

Coffee Coffee Coffee ... Keurig

Now that this move is over I can finally sit down and relax.. Now that (for the most part) I have my shit together.

I was supposed to do a blog post last week, but in the craziness that’s been my life it just hasn’t happened.  Blogging hasn’t happened.. I’m surprised that cooking has even been done, but ya know.. The kid’s gotta eat.  One night I was so frazzled that I stood and ate my food while the rest was cooking.. Horrible mommy move there, but I was Starving and just couldn’t wait.

I promised Sara@ One Cup Connection  that I would do a post about Keurig.  I don’t have one.. Bestie’s sister has one and brewed some really yummy smelling coffee the other night ( I don't drink coffee after 2pm or I'll be up all night O_o ) and I also  know that MommaKiss does too and she loves it... and her snickerdoodle coffee.

I love coffee regardless.  I’ve become a latté drinker within the past years that I’ve been working in this particular office.. I guess it all started with dunkin donuts lattés but that stopped when I realized how much sugar was in those things... and I started making them myself.  Right now I have a grind & brew machine and so it’s 2/3 cup of whole beans to 6 ounces of water and I get 2 good lattés out of it. One of these days I’ll get around to getting my own Keurig, but until then I will share the love of coffee and the amazing goods they’ve got over @ OneCupConnection..Check out the K-Cups page and tell me what one is your favorite!

I tried the silk 10 day challenge

I’m a Bzzagent and I got an offer to try the Silk 10 day Challenge. I’ve never tried Silk so I decided to jump in. We drink a lot of milk in my house, we can go through 1-2 gallons a week between the kid and myself.

I jumped into the Silk 10 day challenge feet first, I was so excited when I got the coupons to try the Silk products and so I picked up plain almond milk and chocolate soy milk.

Meh.

I can do the chocolate Soy milk, it’s really good. It’s got a nice thick creamy texture and would probably be really good with a banana blended into a smoothie. I can totally kick my nesquick habit for chocolate silk and I can have a bit of it in my chai latte, that's absolutely delicious!

The Almond milk didn’t fare so well in my book though. The texture is very thick and the flavor of plain was just.. Plain. It was okay in a bowl of cereal. Nothing to write home about though. I’m sure the vanilla and chocolate varieties are good and I’m kinda kicking myself that I went with plain and not flavored.  I didn't like it in my coffee at all and I've heard so many things about almond milk latté's but nope, I wasn't getting it at.all.

I haven’t gotten a chance to try the coconut silk yet and since I’m not a huge coconut fan I’m sure I will try it and then use it in recipes but not to drink straight. I’m sure it’s wonderful in rice pudding.

Sorry Silk, but I’m not a convert. I’ve been a “real” Milk drinker too long to change over completely.

The final consensus is:

Silk products are wonderful, healthy and "green". 

Although I'm not a total convert I will use it for cooking, smoothies and in my latté.

I do need to try the Silk PureAlmond in the flavored varieties before I totally shoot it down, plain just wasn't for me at all.

Go ahead and take the Silk 10 day Challenge for yourself & let me know your thoughts too.

*Giveaway* Are you a coffee snob like me?

I love my morning coffee, it's a total ritual for me.

I'm not just gonna drink any coffee though, and I absolutely refuse to drink the sludge they make in my office. I will not drink Dunkin Donuts regular coffee, I think it's absolutely vile.  Milk and sugar please.  My mom drank Tasters Choice coffee, 2 spoonfuls to her cup of microwaved water.. with milk & no sugar.. Yuck... my dad didn't drink Coffee, he was a tea with sugar & milk kinda guy.. I like my tea like that too.

But I'm kind of a snob when it comes down to my morning coffee, I love to have a Latte in the morning and I have thankfully managed to break my Dunkin Donuts Latte habit and cut down my getting cappuccino at my beloved Rosie's bakery to just once in a while instead of 2-3 times a week. I buy 1 can of Lavazza Espresso for around $6.99 and it lasts me 2 weeks or so and it's totally worth it. Seriously.. the lack of funds for coffee can be a total bummer but if you can manage an awesome latte on your own, then that new pair of shoes or purse is that much easier to attain ;)  Sure I'll grab a cup of coffee at the deli once in a while and I will have coffee if you invite me to your house.. but I won't drink anything that's been sitting around for God knows how long... yuck.

Before the bestie left on her adventure she gave me a little tool to whip up my lattes.. and I love it and I use it every day.. but it's lacking the real frothing power I need to make a seriously good latte.. and since the frother on my espresso machine decided it doesn't want to work anymore I needed to upgrade to something a little more powerful. (By the way, anyone want me to test an espresso machine?  Just let me know.. I'm in the market for a new one)

So, I did what any sweet blogger like me would do.. I bought myself a new BonJour Cafe Latte Frother from CSN Stores and I bought one to share with one of you lovely readers too!  This thing packs a super strong motor and whips up milk in seconds!  It uses 4AA batteries that aren't included in the package, but I'm nice enough to throw in a pack for ya so you can get to using it right away.

This battery-operated frother whips milk into thick foam in seconds for creating a latte, cappuccino, or macchiato. It's also handy for sauces, hot chocolate, foamy cocktails, and even scrambles eggs. The soft-touch push down button and chrome stand make this easy to use and store. Powered by 4 "AA" batteries (not included).

Now, since I hate bloggy contests that want you to post the contest 37 times on twitter with a hashtag, subscribe to the reader, follow on facebook and add a video of yourself licking your elbow (which you all know is impossible) so.. all you have to do here is.. say hi.and tell me how you like your coffee or what your favorite coffee joint is (and I'm not talking starbucks here either.. there's a wicked little place on my way to work called Witch's brew that has the most amazing selection of coffee's and teas with really odd hours, but a really cool atmosphere). Also, if you like to add a little flavor to your coffee with Coffee-Mate let me know what your favorite flavor is and if you're the winner you'll get a little extra something special in your package too!

Y'all have a week to comment and then on Wednesday Feb 2nd I'll choose a winner using that handy dandy random number generator.

That's all there is to it :)

Looking forward to great comments from you guys!

Ash~

I just had to add this... my morning coffee today just milk, whipped up with the Cafe Latte Frother.  Yum yum yum!

COFFEE-MATE FREE FLAVOR FRIDAY, February 4, 2011

         On February 4, 2011, FREE FLAVOR FRIDAY, COFFEE-MATE will be giving away 100,000 coupons for a free bottle of COFFEE-MATE. You can register for your coupon on Free Flavor Friday at the COFFEE-MATE Facebook page. 

 

        This promotion is a one-day-only event and free product is limited!

          There are 25 great Coffee-Mate flavors to choose from.. so sign up and get your favorite flavor for free!  I'm a huge fan of Peppermint Mocha and my new favorite is Cafe Latte.  I love that I can make my favorite coffee drinks at home without spending $ at Starbucks and I kicked the Dunkin Donuts Latte habit when I learned how much sugar was in their Latte's.

       Do you use Coffee-Mate?  What's You're favorite Flavor?

 

 

Quick fix substitute sweetened condensed milk

Ok, so here's the story..

One morning I went to make my coffee and *gasp!* there was no milk.. BUT there was a half a can of sweetened condensed milk in the fridge leftover from something I made, so I scooped out a spoonful, stirred it into my coffee and prayed it was gonna be alright...

and OMG it was AMAZING!!

So, when I went to the wholesale store with my best friend Patty back in September I bought myself a 6 pack of sweetened condensed milk (considering it's around $2+ per can and I got a pack of 6 for around $4 I was very happy!) I used a can or 2 over the holidays making pies and I just used the last of it this morning and then after not adding it to my little list of things I had to stop and grab on my way home I forgot... that is, until I was setting up my coffee cup back under the Senseo before.

AHHHHH!!! I've been having my coffee so long at home like this, I wasn't sure if I could just go back to milk and sugar.. I had to find a substitute!

I searched frantically and every single recipe I found was had butter added (eew!) I knew I had a box of powdered milk packets in the cabinet from last Christmas when I made milk bath sachets for some friends, so I had the most crucial ingredient and finally.. like 20 pages down the line I found this:

Sweetened Condensed Milk substitute:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 1-quart sized packet or 1 cup powdered milk

In a small saucepan heat water to just boiling on high heat
Quickly whisk in milk powder and reduce heat to lowest setting (or this will burn)
Add sugar and stir until dissolved
Cook until thick, this will take 5-7 minutes. This equals one 14 oz can.

OMG, it tasted just like the real thing and I have it in a squeeze bottle in the fridge, ready for tomorrow's coffee :) YAY!

Coffee..Mmmmmm

I was never really a coffee drinker until I started working here.. this office requires at least one cup in the morning.. I find myself having my ritualistic cup in the morning from my beloved Senseo (their Cappuccino is the best) and then when I get to work I will grab another. I usually like my coffee with milk and sugar.. but the first time I had Peppermint Mocha Coffee-Mate I was in love.. so I went about making a copy cat when after the holiday season it was no longer available in stores and I was like a maniac looking for it. The recipe is spot on in my book, but I've had a few people tell me it's not quite minty enough and now, with the absence of my Starbucks next door to work I had to rethink the whole Peppermint syrup.. and Thanks to Juliet at Inside The Icebox who posted a wonderful recipe for Peppermint syrup that I made last night and can be as Peppermint-y as you want it to be

here is Juliet's recipe for Peppermint Syrup followed by my Peppermint Mocha Coffee-Mate recipe :)

Peppermint Syrup

1 C. Water
1 C. Sugar
1tsp. Peppermint extract (feel free to adjust this to your liking)

Make a simple syrup by adding the sugar and water to a small sauce pan. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly until sugar has dissolved. Add 1 teaspoon extract and simmer for about a half hour. Refrigerate, or start mixing drinks - about 2 tablespoons syrup for each latte.

** I made this last night and put it into a jar to cool in the fridge, I did add 2 teaspoons to mine)

Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer (Coffee-Mate copycat)

Ingredients

1 pint fat-free half-and-half (or regular, but I like the fat free)
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/8 cup peppermint syrup

Directions

1. pour the half and half into a medium saucepan.
2. stir chocolate chips into the pan.
3. turn the heat onto medium-low and melt the chocolate into the half and half.
4. DO NOT LET THIS BOIL.
5. Once the chocolate is melted turn the heat off.
6. Store in a container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks :) (but it never lasts that long, lol).

Peppermint Mocha Coffee creamer

Okay, so last week I professed my love for my coffee mug, Today I'm gonna let y'all in on the secret of what I put in that cup {and no, it's not Booze, lol} I absolutely fell In LOVE with peppermint mocha coffee-mate, it was on sale and I had a coupon and I bought 2 bottles on a whim.. I thought, why not just try it 'tis the season and all. When I ran out I was distraught, I couldn't find it anywhere, so I searched online, I had to find it somewhere... But the only store online that I could buy it from wouldn't ship it to NY.. so I was outta luck.. so I tried contacting Coffee mate and they gave me a very bland response..

Dear Ashley,

Thank you for taking the time to contact Nestlé® Coffee-mate® Non-Dairy Creamer Peppermint Mocha regarding your suggestion of making this variety year round. We welcome questions and comments from loyal consumers and appreciate this opportunity to assist you.

We would like to assure you that we have reported your comments to our Marketing department. We are committed to providing you with products that live up to your high standards for taste, quality, nutrition and enjoyment - in short, "the very best."

We appreciate your interest in our products and hope you will visit our website often for the latest information on our products and promotions.

Sincerely,

J.R.
Consumer Response Representative

Well, that was it and I never heard from them again... but the scary kinda thing is there is a huge following for this stuff, I was absolutely astounded at the amount of posts that I found online regarding Peppermint Mocha Coffee-Mate, but nobody had a recipe, everyone just wanted the original thing.. but not me, if I can't find the real thing I'm gonna do the next best thing and make the best dang copycat that I can make... and so I did...

Ingredients

• 1 pint fat-free half-and-half (or regular, but I like the fat free)
• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/8 cup peppermint syrup (I got mine at Starbucks for about $6)

Directions

1. pour the half and half into a medium saucepan.
2. stir chocolate chips into the pan.
3. turn the heat onto medium-low and melt the chocolate into the half and half.
4. DO NOT LET THIS BOIL.
5. Once the chocolate is melted turn the heat off.
6. Store in a container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks :) (but it never lasts that long, lol).

this stuff makes my coffee Happy :)


This is a real pic, straight out of the Senseo my coffee looked like this one morning and I almost fell right over.. that is one seriously happy cup of coffee :)

No, I'm not perfect...

To say I'm disorganized is an understatement, my desk at work is a disaster, really. I will never understand why people still put things on my desk because it will get lost, if you want me to see something put it on my chair or right in front of the computer, otherwise it's going to get lost in the pile of crap on my desk. Before I took the weekend off for P's graduation and the last day of school I paid all the bills, tossed all memo's that were over 2 weeks old and straightened up.. by the time I got back the following Wednesday there was a pile of crap again.. mail, more bills, transcripts, random post it's and stuff like that.

my desk at home is just as bad... the monitor (flat as it may be) takes up a big chunk and my printer, the gargantuan thing that it is takes up another big chunk along with the phone, random candles and random junk.

For Christmas I got myself a mug, not just any mug, but the one that I caught my eye that fits me to a T...

This mug is HUGE, it's a good 16 ounces, and I fill that thing up to the very brim every morning with my coffee (it just fits under the Senseo, which, by the way in my honest opinion is the best dang single serving coffee machine out there, the cappuccino is what I drink and it's So freaking good!) Now I wasn't just going to get one of these for myself because my best friend Patty, she's a teacher and her desk looks a lot like mine, so I got one for her too.. her students think it's hilarious.

The mug is made by a company called Our Name is Mud They make great mugs that are heavy and durable not to mention witty. I got this one for a friend during a secret swap and she loved it.

They have all kinds of little odds and ends at that store most of it under $20, all of it great :)